Heatlhy plants = healthy fish
For the plants to flourish the the following demands have to be met:
light as an energy source for CO2 photosynthesis, nutrients and trace elements as growth promoters.

JBL fertilisers supply the plants with all main nutrients and essential trace elements. This way the plants can absorb all the required nutrients they need over the leaves and roots, and deficiency symptoms (e.g. iron deficiency) are thus prevented.

I can't get all of the pellets out of the tank. Is that harmful to my fish?

The pellets don't contain any heavy metals, so that they are not toxic to fish. Therefore, there is no need for concern if a pellet or two stays in the tank.

If I am using JBL 7 pellets, does it make sense to also fertilise with JBL Ferropol ?

Yes, that will be helpful and may even be advisable, depending on the plants in the aquarium.

The JBL 7 Balls pellets are primarily intended for root feeding plants and supply the plants with nutrients through their roots. Using JBL Ferropol to fertilise through the water column is generally advisable, as all plants (the stem plants more than the root feeders) also absorb nutrients through their leaves.

I would like to fertilise my plants with your product and change over completely. How do I go about doing that?

Generally, one should never change plant fertilizers abruptly. The fertilizers from different manufacturers have somewhat different compositions in terms of trace elements. This may cause temporary nutrient changes. It is best to change over in 3 steps:

1) Reduction of the old fertilizer by 1/3; replace this with 1/3 of the new fertilizer. Wait approx. 3-4 weeks and observe the reaction of the plants.

2) Reduction of the old fertilizer by 2/3; replace this with 2/3 of the new fertilizer. Wait approx. 3-4 weeks and observe the reaction of the plants.

3) Complete discontinuation of the old fertilizer and change-over to the new fertilizer.

It is important to observe the reaction of plant growth and, in addition, to check the iron content of the water at least 2x weekly. Whereas the value should never drop to 0, it should never exceed 0.2 mg/l if possible. However, short peaks are no cause for concern.

These measures should generally be carried out on a weekly basis, ideally right after a water change. This achieves better results than fertilizing in large doses at longer intervals.

Are fertiliser pellets (JBL 7 Balls) harmful for my invertebrates such as shrimp and crustaceans?

JBL 7 Balls are harmless to shrimp. It's worth noting that the commonly held notion of shrimp being sensitive to copper is not correct. What is true is that shrimp even need copper urgently as a trace element for their blood pigment (haemocyanin). When using a standard fertiliser, one must overdose 80-100 fold in order to reach the ranges that are dangerous for shrimp, or a copper overdose as applicable. The situation is quite different when it comes to copper-based medications or algae control products, as these have much higher doses.

Misunderstandings – typical beginner mistakes

Based on our own experience in customer service and the many messages and questions we receive, we have put together the typical mistakes beginners may make. The experienced aquarist might well smile, but if they are honest, these are mistakes we all made at the start, aren’t they?

Benefits of aquatic plants for the biosystem

Outline: Fertilisation in the Aquarium

The JBL plant care concept leads to vigorous and healthy growth even with the most demanding aquatic plants. JBL has all the components you need, whether it’s a fertiliser, a bottom substrate or a fully automatic CO2 fertiliser system.

Plant aquarium in fast motion with or without CO2

How often should you fertilise – daily or weekly?

The subjects of plant care and fertilisation can sometimes take on a philosophical element. There are a lot of approaches and a lot of them can lead to success. It is important that your chosen approach suits your aquarium.

Fertilization is not just fertilization Part 1

Unlike in natural waters, aquariums with fish mostly have a surplus of nutrients caused by feeding and the resulting fish excrement. Thus nitrates and phosphates in large (often too large!) quantities are available for the plants.

Are aquarium fertilisers with trace elements dangerous for shrimps?

It’s no wonder that shrimp enthusiasts are unsure when they read the composition of high-quality aquarium fertilisers. Copper! All the alarm bells are ringing. We would like to clear up the confusion and give you some valuable background knowledge.

Water Analysis Online Laboratory

Enter your water parameters and get an in-depth analysis of your values in a matter of seconds.
You enter your water values – and we analyse! Here you have the opportunity to enter the measured water values directly into the JBL Online Laboratory. This will analyse your values and explain and submit corrective measures.